Why does that chair exist? Because some one was probably tired of sitting on the floor. How did they come up with it? They were probably inspired by a tree stump, or a fallen log that they once sat on while hunting, or collecting berries.

I don’t actually know exactly how and why chairs came to be. But this pathway I’ve just made, has opened my mind to a possibility.

Your computer. Why does it exist? Why do we need it? How does it work? Everyone who reads this will probably come up with slightly different answers.

This same process can be used for more than just objects in your office. It can be used in the outside world. Yes, there is more than just your parents’ basement and the internet.

Let’s talk about theft. Why does it happen? Because people lack the resources they need. I understand that this is not always the case, but most of the time it is. If someone is stealing food, they probably can’t afford to buy it. If they are stealing valuable items, they probably need money.

How does it happen? No, this is not a how to on robbing your neighbors. Let me rephrase. How do people get into the position of needing to steal things? Well, if they don’t have money, the either don’t have a job, or they don’t have one that pays well enough. I’m not going to construct an argument for either side of the minimum wage debate. If they don’t have enough income, they will probably pull their kids out of school to work for a little extra money. Now the kids have less formal education, which lowers their chances of going to college, which decreases their chances of getting a well-paying job. And the cycle continues.

Now, this isn’t supposed to be a rant about crime and poverty. But do you see how asking how and why can help you understand something? That is what this post is about.

You can go on to question why the educational system isn’t producing well-educated kids.

So just asking How? and Why?, and answering those questions, gave us a better understanding of crime, and the role of education.

Try to apply this is every problem you encounter. Ask yourself, Why is this happening? How did we get here?